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Tell Your Lawmakers: Support the Resolutions to Block the EPA's Ozone Rule

As one of our more than 6.9 million FreedomWorks members nationwide, I urge you to contact your representative and senators today and ask them to support the resolutions of disapproval against the EPA’s new air quality standards for ozone emissions. The House resolution, sponsored by Congressman Paul Gosar, is H.J.Res. 74; the Senate version, sponsored by Senator Jeff Flake, is S.J.Res. 25.

The EPA’s latest regulation to further lower ground-level ozone levels to 70 parts per billion (ppb) flagrantly ignores the real-world impact of compliance. Low-level ozone can be created by forest fires and other natural sources, and man-made ozone pollution is redistributed from distant places by winds. Thus, in many areas of the country the 70 ppb standard would actually require the affected counties to damage their economic output to compensate for pollution they’re not even emitting themselves.

In our slow-growing economy, the EPA’s continual onslaught of regulations is increasing the cost of doing business – directly killing job growth and economic growth. Together with the draconian new CO2 emission regulations on power plants (among many other unachievable restrictions), this ozone restriction will further boost energy costs, which burdens every single business and industry in the nation.

The rule is also just plain unnecessary. Air quality across the United States has increased vastly over the past decades – in spite of massively accelerated development. Advancing technology and increased prosperity help to create more energy-efficient and lower-emission products, while the EPA’s ever-increasing burden of regulation slows down this economic progress.

Thus, I hope you’ll call your representative and senators and urge them to support these resolutions of disapproval against the EPA’s ozone rule – H.J.Res. 74 and S.J.Res. 25.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced today that he would be signing a directive barring scientists who have received grant funding from the agency from serving on three of the agency’s scientific advisory bodies.

Director of FreedomWorks Foundation’s Regulatory Action Center Ken Cuccinelli released the following statement on the news that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is ending the EPA’s ‘sue and settle’ tactic:

On behalf of FreedomWorks’ activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and ask him or her to co-sponsor the Agency Accountability Act, H.R. 850, introduced by Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.). The bill would require federal agencies to deposit revenues collected through fines, fees, or proceeds from legal settlements into the general fund of the Treasury.

FreedomWorks activists got two big wins today. The Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee approved Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R-Okla.), and the Senate Finance Committee approved Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.). These nominees are now headed to the Senate floor for confirmation.

Immediately following the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s vote on Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R-Okla.) for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, FreedomWorks CEO Adam Brandon released the following statement:

Following the conclusion of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on the confirmation of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FreedomWorks CEO Adam Brandon commented:

Environmental groups have declared war against Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, Donald Trump's nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Don't be surprised if Mr. Pruitt's nomination hearing this week degenerates into a three ring circus of obnoxious and disruptive Big Green antics, the new M.O. of the left these days.